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Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

Originally Posted by Sleeps

I want to fix everything that can be fixed

I am a begginer in Buddhism and Zen too, as far as I can understand in my state of current ignorance, I think this part is the most difficult. Let go of everything and at the same time learn to distinguish between what can be fixed and what can not be fixed....and then go and simply fix it, with no attachment to things, but with simple joy... even if it means hard work, or pain, or sickness

I don't know if I understand this right or wrong, Greg, but believe me that all we here are trying to find and follow this path, no one can walk our own path, maybe, in the end, there is no path,only Practice, Acceptance .... I don't know....I wish I could help you, but maybe I am as lost as anyone....in this state of things, I decide to trust the words of our teachers and our peers in the Sangha. Perhaps what they share with us will help us to understand, every day, a little more.

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

Is your life the way it is because you were a dreadful person in your past lives? Is my life the way it is because I was a terrific person in my past lives? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, what to do now? How about we drop it?

Drop everything: drop good, drop bad, drop rich, drop poor, drop dreadful past, drop terrific past, drop past lives... and what do I have that you do not? Nothing. What I have is this life. What you have is this life. No need for me to boast of my previous lifetime's deeds (I can't even remember them and even if I could, so what?), no need for you to blame yours. What you and I did in our previous lives is done. What we have now, is the chance to practice together.

_/|_
Rafael

Originally Posted by Sleeps

Originally Posted by Amelia

Originally Posted by Sleeps

...I can't speak for the whole planets karma but I can speak for my own. Past lives before this "physical" one? I must have been quite a dreadful person to let it come to this...

Would you say that a rich, greedy and ignorant man has better karma, though he may have all that he wants?

Wanted to update on what I said before, you don't need to be greedy and ignorant and rich. those people are simply dis-eased, consider looking behind the curtain of "rich" people, you'll find interesting things...I did...lots of love! :|

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best i'm just adding my own two cents here, but we have people here in the sangha which iterate "Shit is good fertilizer".
Not all things are bad,everything can be used for practice, and it sounds like you're well on youre way, don't mind the bumps, theyre there for a purpose...

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

Just to clarify, I do not feel that all "rich" people are negative and greedy. When I said, "rich, greedy and ignorant man," I meant just that: a rich, greedy, and ignorant man! Of course not all well-off people fall under those categories! I'm sure that a rich man with a loving, contemplative, and sharing spirit has excellent karma!

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

Hi Greg! I didn't get to read your last few posts so I don't know if you reacted to my post. Anyway, I hope my post didn't come across as callous or cavalier towards your situation. The point is, whatever our past was, it's all in the past. If we did good in the past and are reaping the rewards now, great. But still, we drop it and practice. If we did bad in the past and are reaping the negative consequences (not punishments! that would imply a punisher inflicting it on us) then we accept it and still drop it and practice. Even if our past lives had absolutely nothing to do with our current lives, we still drop it and practice. This is my own beginner's opinion of course, but please know that I offer it to you out of friendship.

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

And on that note, I just want to add a reminder that you can post your more personal stuff in the Topics about All of Life forum http://www.treeleaf.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=9 as it is more confidential there (only members can access it).

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

I will say this: 'wanting' is one thing for sure buddhism isn't. The other thing buddhism isn't is 'not wanting'
Wanting/not wanting is human: dissatisfaction with what is.

understanding this and understanding the way to end this is the seed/fundamental principle of buddism.

This is worthy task. Not by wanting to, but by the doing.

Good luck to you Sleeps wherever you are!
May we all realize the buddha way together!

*** Should have read ...and Sleeps/Greg has deleted his words...My humble apologies Greg...I was using my phone, not my laptop. The phone's small face limits what I can view
and a quick scan did not give me much of a view at all. The irony here for me is that in 'personalizing' the message, it became grotesquely impersonal. Please accept my apologies. Over the years I visit here, I have appreciated many of your writings, your perspective and your support of others. I hope you are well.

Re: I want to be a Buddhist. PLEASE READ

I'd like to thank you all for letting me come back here, things are different...but, I'm learning to take it easy, I don't even know what that means anymore but things are coming together well. Thank you for keeping me in mind, through all my pain and suffering, I keep you all in mind aswell.